1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to methods for maintaining sexual potency in males and particularly to a method and articles of underwear intended to prevent damage to erectile and other tissues of the penis.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Male sexual impotence is typically defined as the repeated inability to maintain an erection adequate to normal sexual function. While impotence has long been considered to be largely a psychological problem, it is now being recognized that physical causes may account for the great majority of such problems. A particular physical cause which has only recently been generally recognized is poor circulation of blood to the penis. In order to relieve such situations whereby blood deficiency within the penis causes impotence, a revascularization or "bypass" operation has been developed with considerable success. Such surgery involves the transplantation of a healthy artery from the abdomen to the penis wherein blood is then rerouted around the diseased artery to improve circulation. While this surgery is proving helpful in a majority of cases to counter an existing condition, neither this surgery nor other efforts have intended the prevention of circulatory problems in the penis and particularly circulatory problems which are caused by a simple though universal abuse of the penis. In particular, the penis is contorted out of shape and held within unnaturally confined quarters even from birth, this abuse being further exacerbated throughout life by the confinement of the penis within clothing such as "jockey shorts" which crumple the penis into the testes and maintain the penis in a substantially bent or crimped conformation. In order to appreciate the damage inflicted upon the penis by conventional undergarments, it should be understood that the erectile tissue of the penis essentially has two parts, each part being referred to generally as the corpus cavernosum and each containing an artery and a vein down its center to furnish blood for erection. The present invention recognizes that bending of the penis over a long period of time finally causes the corpus cavernosum to develop a kink which can be considered analogous to a kink in a length of hose. When the blood conduits are bent for sufficient period of time, such a kink develops and the kink becomes a perfect place for development of fatty deposits which result in a restriction of blood supply which becomes insufficient for proper function of erectile tissue. Even during athletics, when blood flow is increased, the penis is held within an athletic supporter with a resulting bending and kinking of the penis. Such undergarments further pull the testes tightly against the body and cause undesirable heating of the testes in addition to the restriction of blood flow in the general area.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a method and articles of underwear capable of maintaining proper circulation in the penis such that the vascular system of the penis will remain intact and will allow proper function of the erectile tissue and other tissues of the penis.